Tag: Joe Tsai

Nets collaborate with NBA, Knicks to deliver New York surgical masks

The Brooklyn Nets continue to do everything they can to help the city of New York battle the novel coronavirus.

New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, announced on Saturday that Brooklyn Nets governor Joe Tsai and his wife, Clara Wu Tsai, were helping facilitate the donation of 1,000 ventilators to New York from the Chinese government.

And the Nets organization continues to do more for New York in the battle against the novel coronavirus.

Hours after he announced the donation of ventilators, Cuomo took to Twitter to inform everyone the Nets were coming up big for all of New York once again — and they teamed up with their crosstown NBA rival in the process.

Cuomo’s announcement stated:

The @NBA is contributing 1 million desperately needed surgical masks for New York’s essential workers in collaboration with @nyknicks, @BrooklynNets and China’s Consul General Huang Ping.

New York thanks you.

We are beyond grateful for this gift of critically needed PPE (personal protective equipment).

Tsai has also made sure the Nets and Barclays Center hourly and part-time employees are taken care of through the end of May if all games and events wind up being canceled.

Joe Tsai helps facilitate donation of ventilators to New York

Governor Andrew Cuomo and the state of New York received a major helping hand from Brooklyn Nets governor Joe Tsai.

The state of New York is receiving some significant help in its battle against the novel coronavirus thanks to executive vice chairman of Alibaba and Brooklyn Nets governor Joe Tsai and his wife, Clara Wu Tsai, as well as Tsai’s co-founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma.

New York governer Andrew Cuomo told reporters during his press conference on Saturday that the Chinese government will facilitate a donation of 1,000 ventilators. Among the individuals New York’s governor thanked for making this all happen were the Nets governor and his wife.

“This is a big deal and it’s going to make a significant difference for us,” Cuomo said to reporters.

In addition to helping out the state of New York, Tsai has also helped the Nets and Barclays Center’s hourly and part-time employees. Soon after the league went on hiatus, the Nets governor committed to pay those workers through the end of May is games and events are canceled.

Jack Ma Foundation: Go Asia! We will …

Jack Ma Foundation: Go Asia! We will donate emergency supplies (1.8M masks, 210K test kits, 36K protective suits, plus ventilators&thermometers) to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan & Sri Lanka. Delivering fast is not easy, but we will get it done! Joe Tsai: In the global war against coronavirus, developing countries need help too. @JackMa is inspiring people to rise to the occasion. @foundation_ma @AlibabaGroup @BrooklynNets

Nets, Barclays Center commit to pay hourly employees during NBA hiatus until end of May

The Brooklyn Nets have announced their plan to take care of the Barclays Center’s part-time and hourly employees during the NBA hiatus.

Multiple NBA teams have made a promise to help their hourly and part-time arena employees amidst the NBA’s hiatus.

When Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie broached the subject on Twitter, Nets governor and Barclays Center owner Joe Tsai announced a plan was being put together.

On Saturday, the Nets and Barclays Center announced their commitment to their hourly employees. These employees will be covered through the end of May for games that are not played and events canceled due to the statewide ban of events with 500 people or more, unless those games or events are rescheduled before.

As of March 14, the Nets and Barclays Centers’ commitment is the longest one any team has made to their hourly employees.

Here is their full statement:

Hourly employees at Barclays Center are the bedrock of the fan experience in the arena. Whether it’s a big smile as fans enter the building or keeping the season clean or making sure the concession stands are stocked with your favorite items., they are on the frontlines to make our fans feel special. They keep the lights on and the house clean, and they are the first ones to arrive and last ones to leave the building.

While all of us are negatively affected by suspension of the NBA season and a state-wide ban on events with 500 people or more, we are especially aware of the difficulties faced by our hourly employees. When games and events are cancelled or postponed, work stops and so do paychecks.

With the aim of helping Barclays Center staff get through this difficult time, we commit to provide relief to hourly employees for the paychecks they would have earned if Brooklyn Nets regular season games and non-Nets events at Barclays Center were to continue as originally scheduled. The plan will cover the period from now until the end of May unless the events are rescheduled before that. We will work closely and expeditiously with our partners, including service contractors, event promoters and unions to implement this plan.

It is our goal to alleviate the hit to household cash flow from work stoppage for people impacted so they can pay for necessary expenses such as rent, utilities, food and daily necessities. We want to let our Barclays Center staff know that nobody is left behind and we are in this together.

As for fans who had tickets to the postponed games, those tickets will be honored on the rescheduled dates. If the games are not played, or the games are played in an empty arena, fans will have the option to receive credit for a future game or a refund.

Nets working toward plan for non-salary arena staff

Spencer Dinwiddie was among those to point out event workers are among those being heavily impacted by sports cancellations.

With the NBA suspending the 2019-20 season due to the COVID-19 outbreak — and other sports and leagues later following suit — many been impacted. There are the fans, the players and those who work in the organization who have all had to deal with the change.

Among those who are prone to feeling the impact the most are the event workers who do all the little things to help make games and other events what they are. And there have been some who have called for teams to take care of these workers who are on hourly pay that can’t work during this time, and thus can’t support themselves.

Brooklyn Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie made sure to bring attention to this matter on Twitter:

And Dinwiddie was heard loud and clear by Nets governor Joe Tsai:

According to Jason Quick of The Athletic, the Portland Trail Blazers are working toward the same goal.

Dallas Mavericks governor Mark Cuban was the first to express his team is working toward a plan.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the Pistons will pay their hourly and part-time staff during the NBA’s hiatus.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love is donating $100,000 to support arena workers through the Kevin Love Fund. He is the only player who has made this type of gesture during the crisis.

View this post on Instagram

Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. And the fear and anxiety resulting from the recent outbreak of COVID-19 can be extremely overwhelming. Through the game of basketball, we've been able to address major issues and stand together as a progressive league that cares about the players, the fans, and the communities where we work. I'm concerned about the level of anxiety that everyone is feeling and that is why I'm committing $100,000 through the @KevinLoveFund in support of the @Cavs arena and support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season. I hope that during this time of crisis, others will join me in supporting our communities. Pandemics are not just a medical phenomenon. They affect individuals and society on so many levels, with stigma and xenophobia being just two aspects of the impact of a pandemic outbreak. It's important to know that those with a mental illness may be vulnerable to the effects of widespread panic and threat. Be kind to one another. Be understanding of their fears, regardless if you don't feel the same. Be safe and make informed decisions during this time. And I encourage everyone to take care of themselves and to reach out to others in need — whether that means supporting your local charities that are canceling events, or checking in on your colleagues and family.

A post shared by Kevin Love (@kevinlove) on

Joe Tsai ‘absolutely’ prepared for Nets to pay luxury tax

Joe Tsai wants the Brooklyn Nets to bring home some hardware. If it takes some extra money to do so, he’s prepared to flip the bill.

The Brooklyn Nets have two of their better players in the NBA on their roster in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Although Durant is still out for the foreseeable future as he rehabs his right Achilles, the franchise is expected to contend for a title with those two running the show and Caris LeVert, DeAndre Jordan and Spencer Dinwiddie headlining Brooklyn’s supporting cast of players.

Each of those five players is on a multi-year deal. Taurean Prince signed an extension, too. But the Nets may need to invest more money in their roster down the line. For instance, Brooklyn sharpshooter Joe Harris is in the final year of his contract.

The Nets may eventually need to make other tough financial decisions, but Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks recently gave fans some assurance about how the team will handle those matters when he told Malika Andrews of ESPN the team is prepared to pay the luxury tax:

We’re going to be a tax team. We are married to that. There’s a limited amount of times and ways you can continue to add to your team. You better do it now. You’re gearing up for a run.

A decision like this has to include Nets governor Joe Tsai, given he’ll be the one flipping the bill. On Tuesday, Tsai told YES Network he’s “absolutely” prepared to pay the tax, while adding:

I think the fans expect that we win a championship. And the good thing is I do believe we have the pieces in place. Now, we have some injuries and people are coming back, but the fundamental pieces are in place to perhaps go all the way. So, I am absolutely comfortable that if we pay the luxury tax, that’s fine.

Now the Nets need to keep finding ways to further develop as they await Kevin Durant’s return to the court.